Tzav is the continuation of Parashat Vayikra. Parashat Vayikra focuses more on what the Jewish people bring, and in Parashat Tzav, we focus on the Kohanim. Tzav is a very short Parasha, with only 96 verses. You can easily remember this by the numerical value of the word “Tzav - צו” itself, which is 96. Among the korbanot that Parashat Tzav discusses, there is a very special korban called the Korban Todah.
When does a person bring a Korban Todah? The Gemara (which Rashi quotes) says that when someone was heavily sick, was released from prison, embarked on a ship, or traveled in the desert, he should bring a Korban Todah.
One who brings a Korban Todah needs to bring forty loaves of bread, and he has to finish all that bread within that day and the following night. This makes this Korban very unique, as with the rest of the Korbanot, one has two days and a night. The purpose of having so much food and such a small amount of time to finish it is so that the one who brings the Korban will invite his friends and family to eat with him in order to finish it all. When they eat together, he will relate to them all the miracles that occurred to him from HaShem.
Chazal teach us that this thanksgiving offering will be the only offering left in the future. Additionally, the Gemara says that this Korban brings peace to the world.
Why is this Korban so important? Chazal teach us in different places that expressing our gratitude is an integral part of our daily life. From the perspective of the Kabalah, whenever you say “thank you” to HaShem, you sweeten harsh judgment in the world. It’s like adding honey to a bitter tea. When someone says thank you to HaShem, even if things seem to be bad, he shows that he trusts that all HaShem does is for the good.
Another reason gratitude is so important is because saying thank you is very healthy. When you express gratitude, something good happens in our brain, and it radiates good energy throughout the whole body and soul. Suddenly we are calm and no longer competing against anyone, and we are satisfied with what we have, and the present.
Another benefit of gratitude is that it causes us to not take anything for granted. Every small thing that we have is such a gift from HaShem, and when we look for things to thank Him for, we recognize how much we really have.
There are many more reasons why thanking is so important, and I think that this is why we have so many songs centered on giving thanks. The Gemara tells us that when a couple gets divorced, even the altar in the Beit HaMikdash is crying. Of course, this is metaphorical. The idea behind this is that many times, when there is no appreciation or sense of gratitude, things don’t go well. This is why offerings are called “Korban,” from the root of “Lehakriv” — to bring close. We need to offer a part of ourselves, so to speak, in order to become close to one another.